Florida Hall Of Fame Honors Palmer, Gaines, Pace, Dudley

A hometown hero and an adopted legend are among those being honored Monday at Cypress Gardens during the Florida Sports Hall of Fame ceremonies.

The hometown hero is Olympic gold medal swimmer Rowdie Gaines, who grew up in Winter Haven and will be honored as Florida's amateur athlete of the year.

The adopted legend is golfer Arnold Palmer, who became eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame this year. Palmer's principal residence is at Bay Hill, south of Orlando.

Gaines and Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, the pro athlete of the year, will be honored along with four inductees into the Hall, which is sponsored by the Florida Sports Writers Association and Florida Broadcasters Association.

Palmer, veteran sports administrator and official Dick Pace of Orlando, Clearwater Bomber softball pitcher Herb Dudley, and Florida State football and golf coach Don Veller are being inducted into the Hall. Veller was selected in the old-timers category.

Age was never a barrier to Dudley's pitching winning softball. He still was striking out batters when he was in his 50s.

Pace still hasn't slackened his sports load although he owns his own insurance agency. He still works Southeastern Conference football games as a back judge, is commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference and works with the SEC commissioner's office to help coordinate, critique and develop basketball officials.

For Gaines, picking up his honor is as close as swimming across Lake Eloise. He lives about a 1-mile swim across the lake from The Gardens of the World, where the ceremony will take place beginning with a roving dinner through the Gardens at 6:30 p.m.

''I have swum the lake,'' Gaines said. ''Not all the way across, but about half-way. My dad used to row along. Unless you have somebody along with a boat, you don't want to get out there by yourself. It gets pretty tricky, and I'm a little scared of alligators.

''We have an 8-footer who lives next door and a 5-footer, too. They hang out in this wooded area. I think that helped me learn to swim fast with those gators around. The great thing about it is, if you want to go water skiing real bad and friends come over who want to ski, you remind them about the gators and then they don't mind you doing most of the skiing.''

In a more serious vein, Gaines said, ''The best part of it all is I can stay at home, and my family gets to come. A lot of awards I've received, my parents haven't been able to come. This is my home and always will be.''

Palmer, who is used to being honored, was equally as elated by the induction.

''I am very pleased, honored and happy to be elected into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame along with the many great athletes who have been inducted before me,'' Palmer said. ''I am close to becoming a permanent Florida resident, so this honor is especially heartwarming.''

Pace said the honor ''represents a lot of people. I just happen to be a recipient of an award for a lot of guys who wear black and white shirts, for many organizations who also could be recipients.''

Tickets to the affair may still be purchased at Cypress Gardens. Admission is $30.